First Team

Robbie: We go again

Head Coach Robbie Neilson delighted to have Danny Swanson in the squad for Friday.

Head Coach Robbie Neilson is delighted to have new boy Danny Swanson in the squad ahead of Friday night’s Ladbrokes Premiership match against Inverness ICT.

Hearts will return to league action on Friday following the international break and travelled north to Inverness on Thursday afternoon in order to maximize their preparation time. Speaking to Hearts TV on Thursday, Robbie said:

“The travelling does take it out of the players, hence why we’re travelling up a day before and training tomorrow morning. But it’s good to know that we’ve gone up there recently and picked up a result against Ross County; it gives us the confidence to go again and get three points.”

New boy Danny Swanson is in the squad for Friday night’s game and Robbie believes he’ll prove to be an excellent addition to his team.

“He’s had five years experience playing down in England, so I think he’ll be a huge asset to us. It helps having played with him previously, I know what type of character he is. And the way he plays now, in a more central role, is something that we need.”

The international break saw no less than five Hearts players called up to the Scotland U21 squad, all of whom featured at some stage in the 2-1 win over Northern Ireland. Robbie was delighted to receive a glowing report from manager Ricky Sbragia.

“I spoke to Ricky and he said they all played really well. He was pleased with their performance in the game and training, as well as the way they carried themselves about the camp.

“Another pleasing aspect was seeing Nicholson and King getting the call-up to train with the A-squad for a couple of days, which was a great experience for them.”